The forint continued to soften a day after the National Bank of Hungary said it would change its main sterilisation instrument to a three-month, rather than a two-week, deposit in an effort to make government securities more attractive to banks.

Even as it weakened against the euro, the forint firmed to 277.20 from 280.06 against the dollar.

It also strengthened to 296.62 from 299.93 against the Swiss franc.